Acquisition, Possession, Seduction
by Mistress Sianna
Summary: “Do not think for one moment that you can escape me.” he said slowly, deliberately. "You Higurashi Kagome, are mine! Only I will decide if you will stay, if you will go, if you will live or if you will die."
1. Chapter 1

Acquisition, Possession, Seduction

Part: 1

A/N: This story is set very early in the series. Around episode 43 of the anime.

* * *

Amber eyes, darkened by simmering rage and the pitch black hour of midnight stared tirelessly into the murky depths of the Bone Eater's well.

From his perch high in the boughs of a majestic elm, Sesshoumaru seethed as he recounted the events that brought him to this disgusting place weighted with the scent of many humans. Seeking to obtain the object he was due from birth, he had pursued his wretched hanyou of a brother to whom the object had been unjustly granted. It was unthinkable that such an unworthy creature would even share his noble blood, yet the insipid halfling was undeniably the progeny of their esteemed father.

Why the great general would sire such a creature was beyond him, but what was more perplexing still, was the fact that he would leave the famous sword to the less deserving of his offspring. It was an infuriating state of affairs as it was, but what was more maddening still, was the interference of that girl…

An image of the afore mentioned female solidified in his mind and Sesshoumaru's lips curled in distaste.

In their father's own tomb, it was she who had removed the blade from the stone, used it to thwart his efforts to be rid of her and then handed it over to the hanyou.

Because of her, because of that pathetic human female not only was he denied the Tetsusaiga, but his left arm was cleaved clean from his body by the very same blade. His eyes narrowing, the daiyoukai recalled the searing pain of having his arm severed. It had been painful physically, but his pride had suffered an even greater blow.

To think that the blade that should have been bequeathed to him in the first place was used by that pathetic whelp on behalf of that insufferable human girl!

If that had not been bad enough, the very next time they met, the damnable girl had had the audacity to fire arrows at him and managed to shatter his armor. In her presence, even that ridiculous half-breed was more formidable, his desire to protect the pathetic creature driving him to fight with a vigor Sesshoumaru had never witnessed in him before.

The demon lord was also convinced that the girl was at least partly responsible for Inuyasha's mastering of the Wind Scar, a technique the miserable whelp had used against him nearly costing him his life!

The indignities he had suffered because of her would be atoned for, willingly or otherwise. Since his most previous battle with his brother, the one in which the Wind Scar had been used to severely injure him, Sesshoumaru had kept watch over the small clan that now followed after the half-breed.

With great patience he had bided his time waiting for the perfect opportunity to make his move. He would not be hasty, not this time. He had underestimated Inuyasha on two separate occasions and had lost an arm and nearly his life for his impulsiveness and poor planning.

As luck would have it, he would not have to wait long, for the girl soon stumbled upon the half-breed with the farce of a woman who had been his first love. He had been embracing the abomination of bones, graveyard soil and magic when the little female returned from wherever it was that she went on her frequent excursions.

Through the cover of trees, the girl had watched as the artificial female pressed her lips to those of the hanyou, the scent of anguish rolling off her in waves. Sesshoumaru had not realized that their relationship was as such, but it would all work out to serve in his favor. He could practically hear the sound of her heart shattering when Inuyasha turned an unapologetic look upon her, fully realizing that he had been spotted in the arms of another.

Without a word, the girl had turned away and broke into the woods from which she had come. Surprisingly, Inuyasha made no move to follow her.

Leaping soundlessly from the tree he had been occupying at that moment, he had leisurely trailed the girl, assured that she would not be able to escape him. Unfortunately, he had made another miscalculation. When he had emerged into Inuyasha's forest, he was just in time to see the girl leap into the Bone Eater's well.

Curious as to why she would do something so seemingly detrimental, he had gone to the well's ledge expecting to find her crumpled body at the bottom. To his surprise, the girl was not there. Instead there was only her fading scent together with the odor of a magic he could not name.

Annoyed, Sesshoumaru had taken a moment to evaluate the situation. Now that his carefully crafted plan was missing its primary element, he was uncertain how he would go about achieving his objective.

Deciding more information was required, he went back to gleaning what information he could from silently monitoring his brother and the companions that continued to share his company. He was quickly able to determine that the girl had gone to her village in the future through a time slip or some such thing. The well apparently served as its host. He was also able to ascertain that the girl had had similar quarrels with the halfling whelp before and that it was probable that she would return.

This information put his plan back into play and he had since abandoned the task of monitoring his brother's pack to return to his surveying of the well. It was a tedious endeavor, for certain but the end result would be well worth it.

It merely required patience.

***

A strange sound reached his ears jolting him fully awake from the light slumber to which he had succumb. Eyes scanning for possible threats, Sesshoumaru's tension began to ebb when the source of the disturbance met his questing gaze.

It was her…

Watery beams of the early morning sun escaped the sparse veil of clouds to center almost exclusively onto the well, as if the gods themselves were in agreement with his plans and were attempting to show him the way in which his goals would be realized. He soon registered a series of light grunts and muffled words telling him of the girl's ascent. Sparing a glance in the opposite direction, Sesshoumaru noted that his wretched excuse of a sibling was not far away. It was of no consequence he decided darkly, in a matter of seconds he and the girl would be miles away from this place and the hanyou would be none the wiser.

With the stealth of a skilled predator in pursuit of its prey, Sesshoumaru leapt from his perch. Instead of landing, he formed a cloud of youki at his feet, its power propelling him through the air a short ways. Still unaware of his presence for the moment, the female heaved the upper portion of her body over the edge of the well. When she had her feet solidly beneath her, she took a moment to brush debris from her clothing, straightening them as best she could before running a hand through her dark hair. It seemed that she was about to seat herself on the edge of the old wooden structure when she finally looked up and saw him.

Sesshoumaru could practically feel the air escaping her lungs…

Almost idly, he took in the fact that the girl had foolishly returned without her weapons, not, he amended mentally, that they would have been much help to her anyway. He saw how the color drained from her face and she stumbled back nearly toppling back into the well before he darted forward.

***

Gasping with the shred of air that was not stolen from her lungs when she saw him, Kagome was instantly reminded of the last time she had shared his company. She'd fired arrows at him and if not for Inuyasha shielding her with his own body, he likely would have killed her. There was no reason for him to seek her out other than to complete the task at which he had previously failed. At the revelation, the untrained miko immediately felt the stirrings of panic in every part of her body. She had no weapons, no friends, no Inuyasha… she was here all alone.

With him…

And there was no way she could prevent him from ending her life at this very moment.

She wanted to scream but was too shocked to do so. She stumbled back, sheer, raw instinct demanding that she flee this dangerous creature quickly lest she suffer the consequences of remaining in his presence.

But there was no time…

She was hardly aware of what had happened. One moment, he was just standing there, and a wave of dizziness, and a white blur later, something, it was… HIM!!! HE had crashed into her with what seemed like the force of a brick wall and then the ground was no longer beneath her feet.

Finally gathering her wits enough to share her terror with the outside world, Kagome was unfortunately prevented from crying out by the clawed, dangerous hand that clamped down like a vice over her mouth. The wind whipped against her mercilessly, stinging her fragile skin and pointing out with certainty that human beings were not meant to travel so swiftly through thin air. Her panicked mind temporarily lost the ability to register the passage of time so she could not begin to say how long they'd traveled before he landed in an area which seemed simultaneously open and secluded at the same time. He landed near the edge of a precipice, making sure to place her closest to the edge so that any thoughts she might have of escaping would be discouraged by the stone peppered valley that lay far below.

He abruptly released her watching impassively as the girl fell to the thin, dry grass, her small body jarring violently with the impact. Large frightened eyes stared up at him and the inu could not help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the dissipation of the brave front she had displayed when last they met.

"Wha-- What do you want with me?" she stammered, folding her legs in such a way as to protect what little modesty she had left due to the tiny garment she wore. Sesshoumaru scowled lightly. As if he would have any use for one such as she.

"You forfeited your life when you interfered in my dealings with Inuyasha." he intoned stonily, noting absently the faint stirring of melancholy at the mention of the hanyou's name. "However, I will not kill you, as is my right. I will instead grant you the opportunity to correct your mistake."

At that moment, her brow crinkled in what he could only describe as mildly defiant confusion. "What are you talking about?" she asked guardedly.

The demon narrowed his eyes. "The Tetsuaiga," he stated simply, "You will retrieve it and surrender it to me." He watched her and was faintly surprised when her eyes hardened and much of the fear that had radiated from her person dissipated, leaving little indication it had ever been there.

"No." she declared, her voice quiet and vehement. "I will not."

In a move her human eyes could scarcely register, the demon had pulled her to her feet, the immovable grip of his only clawed hand wrapped securely about her wrist. "You would dare to refuse me, even when your own life hangs in the balance?" he hissed, his warm breath ghosting over her cheeks as he held her close enough to glare down into her eyes. Her lips parted as if she would respond, but before she could do so he added, "Even after he has betrayed you?"

The girl's reaction was immediate. She gasped, her jaw going slack as her shimmering brown eye stared at him with obvious incredulity. "H-how do you know about…?" she was about to ask, but was unable to finish when he cut her off.

"I know many things." he said quietly. "I know that he does not care for you as you apparently care for him. It is obvious even to me. If he held any wish for your continued presence, instinct would have demanded that he go after you when you fled from him. After all," he drawled darkly, his hand tightening further around her wrist as he pulled her even closer, "It is an inu's nature to give chase to what he desires."

She frowned at that, but her eyes displayed the viscous swirls of hurt stirred by his callous words. "Maybe," she began, her voice dry and slightly grainy, "Maybe he did betray me," her frown deepened and she bared her blunt human teeth at him. "But I won't return the favor!! I won't betray him to the likes of you!"

His displeasure of her defiance was evident in the thinning of his lips and the light furrow of his brow. "Is this your final decision?" he drawled softly, though his voice was edged with danger.

She didn't even hesitate before giving her answer. "Yes!"

"Hn. So be it."

It was the last thing she would hear him say before she was flung away from him. She had fully expected to go flying over the edge of the precipice but apparently there was more ground behind her than she had believed. She made brutal contact with the unforgiving earth, her small form rolling over and over before finally skidding to a stop at the very edge of the cliff. Her skirt was now torn and her flesh burned and stained by the parched grass. She looked up at him, her fear returning ten fold as he advanced on her and the world around her narrowed and slowed to this crucial moment.

His eyes held the shimmering glow of malice and his hand, still in motion from when he had thrown her down, began to glow an unnerving shade of green. Unconcerned over her compromised modesty, the untrained miko didn't even realize that her tattered clothing now showed more than she would have deemed acceptable. He was moving toward her quickly; so quickly that it was difficult for her eyes to follow. His hand, now fully engulfed in toxic wisps of green, was moving ever closer, the poisonous plumes spreading, billowing, reaching toward her; aiming to end her life.

Normally, this is where Kagome would throw up her hands, hiding behind them until Inuyasha barged in to save her. But things were different this time. She knew, _knew_ Inuyasha was not coming; knew that the useless reflex would only end in her demise. She had to DO something!

He was closer now, closer, almost here!

Kagome threw up her hands.

But, instead of hiding behind them this time, she aimed her palms toward him. She had to make him stop, had to ward him off somehow. Yet, for reasons she could not begin to fathom, she also did not wish to kill him. An explosive surge of energy, pink, pure and blinding, exploded from the girl's palms, her body jerking violently as it fled from her.

The momentum that had been propelling him toward her together with the abruptness of her attack, ensured with all certainty that Sesshoumaru would not escape in time. His eyes widened, heels dug into the earth, tried to dart to the right, was hit on the left…

Gritting his teeth and refusing to vocalize his pain, the youkai growled mentally at the searing burn that ripped through him like a scorching, rusty blade through flesh, muscle and bone. He was thrown several yards back, his boots carving grooves into the earth as he landed on his feet and skidded to a halt. "Insolent wretch!" he growled, his ever present indifference giving way to rage at her continued audacity. For once in his life, he found himself at a loss for what to do next. If he darted forward again, it was likely that she would repeat her attack and if it was enough to burn and throw him back this first time, what would a second blast yield?

Pulling a pair of shaking legs beneath her, the girl stood, uncertainty writ clear on her face. When Kagome had first come to this time, she had been able to perform a similar blast, but somehow this one felt different. Whatever the case, she wasn't sure she would be able to do it again if he was insistent on killing her and even though there was a more comfortable distance between them now, she still was not sure how she would manage to escape. "Stay back!" she warned loudly, endeavoring to infuse as much threat into her voice as a petite young woman with mussed hair and torn clothing could muster.

They faced off, untrained miko against great and terrible inu lord; neither wavering, neither willing to back down to the other. Then, the tension broke, it was so sudden, so subtle, a shifting of brown eyes… just a little. It was the perfect opportunity to strike, but the faint confusion evident in her features gave the inu lord pause. "Your arm…" she breathed so softly he almost didn't hear. It was perhaps not the best of decisions, but Sesshoumaru looked. Moving slowly, cautiously, he turned his gaze to follow the girl's line of sight. The left portion of his kimono was singed beyond repair, the sleeve almost entirely missing. His armor, while in far better condition, had not escaped unscathed either as it clearly displayed the burn of the girl's power.

But, more interesting than anything he'd surveyed thus far, was the stump of his left arm. He was well aware of how it had looked since the day it was cleaved away by the halfling whelp called Inuyasha. It was seared into his memory and it boiled his blood every time he looked upon it… except for now. This time, it inspired a completely different reaction. Shock. Whereas everything else was burned and damaged, his arm was healed… partially anyway. It had been severed, just a few inches below the shoulder. But now it was notably longer. It had grown, almost to the elbow. He could not keep the surprise from his face.

Turning back to the girl, his eyes still larger than normal, he asked, "What are you?"

***

She was a miko, untrained, but immensely powerful. Torn between the instinct to protect herself and a foolish, yet beneficial desire not to harm him more than what was strictly necessary, the girl had held back at the last possible moment and unleashed a blast of power which was a mix of destruction and healing. While it had destroyed his clothing and damaged his armor, it had healed his flesh.

She had refused to procure the Tetsuaiga for him, and so her life was now at his mercy. She would not agree to it verbally, but she was given no option but to remain in his traveling party until such time as it pleased him to be rid of her. Having discovered that she was of greater use than he had initially believed, Sesshoumaru felt it prudent to keep her by his side. She would restore his arm.

In his travels over the years, Sesshoumaru had come across an unscrupulous young priestess named Chi. She held no qualms about availing her services to anyone who held a few pieces of silver, gold or pretty much anything of monetary value. He had never expected to see her again, but now it seemed, he had need of her assistance. Pallid and withered, the miko's once passable features were now creased with age. That was of no consequence however as he only required her services to train this miko. She would be employed to instruct Kagome only in the ways of healing among their kind. Though it had been unnecessary to warn her not to instruct the girl any further than that, he did so anyway. For Chi, time was money and she would do little more than what she was paid to do.

The idea of simply having the old priestess heal his arm had crossed his mind, but the fact was that he simply did not trust her. The young miko, Kagome, had already displayed her unwillingness to attempt mortal destruction against him, even when her own life was on the line. Besides, Kagome was his property now, and just like sharpening a katana, he felt it advantageous that she should gained full control over her healing abilities as it would make her more useful to him.

Kagome had accepted the training with little question, believing that once she restored his arm, her 'debt' would be paid and he would let her go. She didn't seem to understand that Sesshoumaru had no particular plans of releasing her at all. He was still toying with the notion of using her to procure Tetsuaiga, and aside from that, her healing abilities might come in handy for future use. If not for him, then at the very least for his human charge, the little girl called Rin who had taken to following him in these recent weeks. Not, he amended mentally, that it was of any great importance to him, but the miko's company was also good for the human child.

Glancing over at the girl's sleeping form as the light of the fire warmed her against the cool night air, Sesshoumaru could feel a sense of anticipation stirring within him. They would arrive at Chi's village in the morning and the miko would begin her training. He turned away to gaze into the stars. If the girl was fairly sharp and learned her lessons quickly, his arm would be restored within a few months.

***

It had taken two months, two long, arduous months under the tutelage of the crusty, bitter old miko called Chi, but Kagome had finally learned the basics of healing. She might have been able to learn more quickly if not for Chi's resigned method of teaching. The dried out husk of a woman worked only for the weight of her purse, and it showed in the impatience with which she dealt with her pupils. Not only that, but Kagome often found herself preoccupied with other matters as well. The goings on with Naraku and the jewel, the friend she'd made in this time, her family, who were probably worried sick about her by now, and Inuyasha, the one who had turned his back on her. He had chosen Kikyou, held her in his arms, openly declared that he'd thought of her each day and sealed their lips in a kiss that broke her heart.

He didn't need her anymore. Kikyou would help him find the jewel. He wouldn't come after her. Not this time. He had proven that much. Silent tears had drenched her cheeks nearly every night since then, but now, even though the pain was still there, it didn't cripple her as it once had. Now it was tainted, only slightly with a level of bitterness that he would so easily forget her. Still, even with this knowledge, Kagome would not betray him. In fact, she'd decided one night, when her eyes had been dry and stinging from crying, it was probably best if she never saw him again. Now that she had learned her lessons, she could heal Sesshoumaru's arm, repay the stupid debt he thought she owed him and then go home and pick up her life as a normal teenaged girl.

Though her experience here had been more bad than good, the idea of leaving this place behind filled her with a sense of melancholy. It didn't matter though. Sesshoumaru was coming to get her from Chi's village today, she'd heal his arm by sunset, and be at home in her bed by tonight.

It was all so simple.

***

"There!" the girl declared happily, her satisfaction evident in the large smile she wore. Now dressed in the garb of a proper miko as Chi had demanded nothing less, she stood back allowing her oversized sleeves to fall back into place as she admired her work. "It looks really good if I do say so myself!" she added and proudly placed a hand on each hip.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his fully restored left arm, lifting it before him and flexing his clawed fingers as he curled and uncurled his fist. "Hn." he declared with only a modicum of interest.

"Hn?!" she asked incredulously, "Is that all you have to say?!" He turned a glare on her, silently warning her to watch her tone. "Well, whatever," she waved him off flippantly. "You got your arm back and that's all that matters." She took a deep breath releasing it in an audible sigh. "Now, if you would be so kind as to point me in the direction of The Bone-Eater's Well, I'll be on my way!"

She saw his brow furrow. "I do not think so." he intoned blandly.

Her frown matched his own. "What do you mean you don't think so? I can't find it on my own." she paused and looked around as if to gage her surroundings. "You don't have to take me there, just tell me which way to go."

"I will do neither. Tell me, Kagome, what ever made you believe that your debt to me would be repaid with the restoration of my arm? That," he drawled softly, "Was a notion of your own creation. Do not expect me to take the blame because you mistook my silence as confirmation of your lunacy."

Her eyes widened at that. "What else could you possibly want from me?!" she demanded heatedly. "I already told you that I won't steal Tetsuaiga for you and I don't have anything else to offer! You have no further reason to keep me here!"

He rose from his position against the tree and her eyes followed as he went from looking up at her to towering over her smaller form. "I have no right?" he drawled darkly. "You had no right to interfere in my dealings with Inuyasha and for that I had every right to kill you, you should count yourself fortunate that I did not. As of that moment, your life, including any and all abilities you possess now and in the future became mine to control as I see fit!" His eyes narrowed dangerously. "I will here nothing further on this subject."

Her rage boiling over and pushing her past the bounds of caution, the miko challenged, "Oh yeah?! Well you won't have to hear any more on the subject because I'm outta here! You don't get to dictate what I do!!" and with that, she spun on her heel to beat a hasty retreat into the forest.

She'd hardly taken four long strides before the great inu had her in his claws. His fingers clasped around her thin neck, he pressed her against a tree, holding her above him as he glared up at her. Instead of succumbing to fear, or even logic, she fought against his hold scratching at his skin and demanding that he release her.

"Insufferable woman." he hissed. "It is advisable that you do not make yourself more trouble than you are worth."

She continued her fruitless struggles and he tightened his grip enough to be extremely unpleasant but not enough to be lethal. She gradually stilled, her cheeks flushing heavily. "Do not think for one moment that you can escape me." he said slowly, deliberately. "Clearly you do not understand and so I will take this single opportunity to explain. _You, _Higurashi, Kagome, are mine! Your life, your power, your very flesh, it all belongs to me and only I will decide if you will stay, if you will go, if you will live or if you will die." He tightened his grip ever so slightly, allowing his claws to bite into her fragile skin. "By rights I should have already killed you. Do not force me to rescind my generosity."

He dropped her then, watching impassively as she crumpled to the ground, sputtering and coughing violently as she regained her breath.

* * *

Wow! Sesshoumaru's being a jerk right now isn't he?! I never would have expected that kind of behavior from him.

Anyway, this story is part one of what will be a two part story. In other words, this is the Acquisition, and Possession part, and the Seduction will take place in the second part. I know the plot isn't very outstanding or unique, but with a short story like this, what do you really expect?

Hope you all enjoyed, and please take a moment to leave a comment. It's the right thing to do! XD


	2. Chapter 2

Acquisition, Possession, Seduction

Part: 2

Warning!: You guessed it, the following contains sexual situations! Additionally, the seduction employed in this portion of the story will be applied with a heavy hand. In other words, Sesshoumaru's initial advances will not be entirely welcome. Consider yourself warned!

Now on with the story

* * *

If nothing else he was protective, Kagome mused mentally and was only partially successful in making herself feel better about her situation. Since their falling out the day she'd healed his arm, he had saved her life on two separate occasions. She had brushed the first incident off because she had been together with Rin. They'd been collecting firewood when something, a weird sort of demon she couldn't even identify, came barreling into their little clearing. Glinting in the shimmering late afternoon sun, the creature's enormous mouth and rows of large jagged teeth had been among the most terrifying things she'd ever seen. Kagome hadn't even had time to draw her bow before the demon was relieved of its enormous head. Sesshoumaru had landed in a flurry of white fur and silk, flipped his wrist in order to rid it of the excess blood, spun on his heel and left without a word.

Though the child had seen far worse, Kagome couldn't help but to shield Rin's eyes from the site of its still twitching body before ushering her from the clearing. The second time, Rin had already been asleep for the night and she had been bathing alone in a tiny spring. The demon, some kind of serpent youkai, had snuck into the water behind her. It was a lesser youkai, so she hadn't even sensed its aura, hadn't even known it was there until its long tail coiled around her leg, pulling it from beneath her.

She'd screamed bloody murder before she disappeared beneath a wave of warm water. Unable to breathe, she had become wild with panic, kicking and flailing as the creature tried to keep her submerged. Suddenly, air had rushed into her lungs and something, she couldn't see what because of the black curtain that was her sopping wet hair, had wrapped around her waist and cold, cold air was brushing over her skin. When she was finally able to get most of the hair and water from her eyes, she screamed again at how high she suddenly was from the ground. The arm around her waist tightened, pressing her against a hard body before a long, glowing whip became visible somewhere to her right.

The serpent, outraged at having lost its prey, rose up from the water, its gaping maw releasing a deep hiss and exposing the enormous fangs with which it had planned to devour her. Kagome shuddered and then was immediately rendered breathless when she realized she was now moving forward at an unhealthy speed. Toward the demon no less. The glowing whip became visible again and she could do little more than watch in fascinated horror as it became solid, less like a whip and more like a spear. It plunged through what she could only guess was the creature's chest. Apparently the heart was pierced because when the spear was removed, blood exploded from the wound and the youkai fell back, sank down into the water, its enormous mouth releasing a tired hiss. It was soon devoured by the small pool, its dark blood seeping out, spreading, staining the water a deep crimson.

Kagome could feel every muscle in her body trembling, a combination of adrenaline and the cold air against her wet skin. When her feet finally found the sparse grass near the edge of the pool, she was instantly released and her body collapsed beneath its own weight. Her back to her apparent savior, Kagome took a moment to catch her breath before turning to look up at him. He was just standing there, rivulets of water trailing from his clothes to soak into the ground. She was so happy to see him, the lesser of two evils for the moment, that she completely forgot her lacking state of dress.

The expression he wore was an odd combination of intensity and boredom, but it was the faint shifting of his eyes that brought her back to the present. She was just about to thank him for saving her, but when his eyes moved to lower portions of her body, she gasped loudly, curled into herself and covered her body as best she could. His expression did not change, though he took to one knee and reached out to her.

"Hey!" she'd cried indignantly, but before she could say anything more she'd felt his hand circle her left ankle. Even though she resisted his efforts, he easily straightened her leg from its previously folded position. He looked it over with a critical eye and while she was still on the brink of having a nervous breakdown, she too looked down at her leg. There was a bruise there from when the serpent had grabbed her. When his inspection of the injury was completed, he gave the rest of her a cursory scan before rising to his feet and turning his back to her.

"Get dressed." he'd stated simply. "We are going back."

It took a moment for her addled mind to register his words and actions but when she finally did, she couldn't help but feel extremely embarrassed and oddly a little disappointed. It was bad enough that he'd seen her completely naked, but somehow, the fact that he didn't seem effected by it in the least, was even worse. The way he'd looked at her was not at all dissimilar to one assessing the damage to their vehicle after a car accident. She was slightly offended.

She'd dressed quickly and quietly, her eyes nervously darting to Sesshoumaru's back as he had apparently decided to wait until she was prepared to go. He didn't even glance back at her, not even once she was dressed. As soon as she'd slipped her feet back into her sandals, he'd began to walk away, fully expecting her to follow. Which… she did.

***

'_Why should I feel bad about it?' _she asked herself later that night, the events of the evening refusing to allow her rest. She peeked through her lashes to see Sesshoumaru propped against a tree a few yards away, his arms folded into his sleeves. His head was bowed, his bangs shielding his eyes.

She scowled lightly. She was nothing more than an investment to him, she realized. She had no idea how much he'd spent on her training, but she didn't imagine that two months worth of training came cheap, especially not with Chi. That was the only reason he'd saved her, it would have been a waste of money not to. The only reason he looked at her at all, was to assess the damage to what he considered his property!

Inuyasha might have thought of her as little more than a jewel detector but at least his concern for her safety had been genuine! At least he would had the decency to blush and look away if he'd seen her like that! He had turned his back and allowed her to dress in some modicum of privacy, but the fact that she was naked didn't even seem to matter to him! _'Well… good!' _she yelled mentally, though she couldn't really describe what she felt. On the one hand he'd saved her life, and that was good. On the other hand, he'd only done it to keep from wasting money. That was… well it was still good because she was alive, but it _felt _bad. Then there was the fact that he had seen her naked. That was bad. But on the other hand, he hadn't seemed to care. That was good. But it _felt_ bad. It was all extremely confusing.

In the end, she finally decided that it was simply a blow to her pride. She'd always considered herself passably attractive, but his non-reaction was certainly enough to take her down a few pegs. She couldn't even begin to imagine what she would have done if she had seen him naked, but just thinking about it was enough to add three shades of red to her cheeks.

Sighing, she pushed her thoughts aside and rolled onto her back. The stars twinkled merrily down on her, completely unconcerned of her plight. _'I hate the stars!' _she lied mentally. Glancing over again, she saw that Sesshoumaru hadn't moved a muscle. She wondered if he was sleeping. She coughed quietly. Still nothing.

The miko coughed a little louder and followed it up by loudly clearing her throat. He still did not stir. _'You could escape!' _the idea beat fragile, butterfly wings against the inner depths of her mind and she felt her heart skip a beat. He'd warned her against that, but the desire to go home tugged insistently at her heart. The thought was still there, vaporous, seductive and wrought with danger. _'You can do it, you can do it! He's sleeping! Will never notice till you're long gone! Go! Go now!'_

Her legs became restless beneath the thin coverlet she was provided. She stared at him, her skin becoming uncomfortably warm and she slowly peeled the covers away. She could feel her hands shaking, her palms coating with sweat. Slowly, cautiously she pulled herself up, licking her dry lips as she assumed a sitting position. Squinting, she glared at him trying to see his eyes through the thick veil of silver hair. It was to no avail and she gritted her teeth and decided to go for it. Folding one leg, she felt a twinge of panic when the other became caught in the coverlet. She disentangled it as quickly as she could while still trying to be as quiet as possible, her eyes darting from her foot to Sesshoumaru and back again.

When she was finally free, the miko stood on a pair of quaking legs, noting that Sesshoumaru still had not budged. Unwilling to turn away from him just yet, the miko continued to watch him for any signs of movement. She placed one foot behind the other and slowly began to back away. Deciding that her sandals would only slow her down, she didn't bother retrieving them. She would make a break for it soon and she didn't want to take any chances of anything slowing her progress or tripping her up.

With each step she took away from him, hope bloomed; flourished in her breast and the hint of a smile tugged at the corner of her lips. Reminding herself that she was not out of the woods yet, she tamped down her excitement as best she could and slowly turned away. Her muscles tensed in preparation, her adrenaline flared, breath hitched in her throat…

"Kagome."

And with that single utterance, her hopes were dashed. It was as if a carefully crafted building, one of her own explicit design had suddenly collapsed down around her leaving her in the center of its desolate ruins. She slowly turned around and was only slightly surprised to see that he was standing right behind her.

"Did we not already have this discussion?" he asked calmly, as if they were discussing a trivial matter and not her indefinite captivity.

She scowled up at him. "You have no right to keep me here!" she hissed as quietly as her anger would allow. Rin was still sleeping and she did not want to disturb the poor little girl.

"I imagine," he began calmly, as if she hadn't said a word, "That you do not wish to be physically restrained?"

"You wouldn't… you wouldn't dare!"

He raised a brow. "Care to put me to the test?" he challenged softly, though she could hear the steely conviction in his tone.

Her frown deepened. "Fine!" she barked as loudly as she dared and instantly felt guilty when Rin started in her sleep. "I'm going back to bed." she groused resentfully. Stomping past him, she settled back down near the fire and pulled the previously discarded coverlet over her head.

***

They fell into a sort of routine.

They traveled throughout the day, though any questions as to where they were going yielded no answer. Rin did a lot to distract Kagome from her melancholy as she found it extremely difficult to remain somber around the exuberant girl. Her laugher was infectious. The two, being more like one another than the demons with whom they traveled, got along famously and any thoughts the miko would have of escaping, (something she still planned to do) were met with twinges of guilt as she really didn't want to leave the girl behind. She would have to eventually though. She didn't belong in this time. She'd tried to explain that to Sesshoumaru, but he wouldn't listen.

It didn't matter though. She'd be gone soon enough.

When they would select a clearing in which to make camp for the evening, Rin and Kagome would collect firewood. When they returned, there was always fresh meat waiting for them with no indication of how it got there. Sometimes during the day they would conveniently pass wild fruit trees and the females would gather as much as they could carry. They always seemed to camp near a fresh water supply, and because of the dragon youkai Ah-Un, they never had to walk when they were overly tired.

As was her preference, Rin always took her bath in the early morning before anyone else was awake. It bothered Kagome that Sesshoumaru seemed content to let the little girl go off on her own. Ah-Un always went with her, but Kagome couldn't help but worry about the girl. For her part, Kagome tended to take her baths at night, usually after Rin had fallen asleep. And, since her failed escape attempt, she was also forced to share Sesshoumaru's unwanted company. He always took care to keep his back to her, but the fact that she could always see him sitting or standing there, had been far beyond unnerving… at first.

After a while, it just became annoying.

He got to the point where he'd hardly ever let her out of his sight, and it was beginning to grate on her nerves. When asked if she could switch to bathing in the morning with Rin, he'd outright told her no, not even bothering to explain why. She suspected that he did his own bathing sometime during the night while everyone was sleep. She'd started one night, waking almost violently for no reason she could clearly identify. When she looked over to where she knew he should be, it looked as if he'd just settled back down and even though it was reasonably dark, she could tell that his hair was wet. There was a certain weight to it that gave it away. She'd narrowed her eyes at him before rolling over and going back to sleep.

***

Using a pair of chopsticks to push the food around in the tiny bowl she held, Kagome finally gave up. She'd only eaten what she had to placate Rin. The girl had been so excited when they'd 'stumbled' across a field of wild rice three days ago that she didn't have the heart not to try and eat it. The girl had filled her little traveling bag to the brim, smiling proudly that it was she who had seen it first. Kagome chuckled bitterly, the little girl had more freedom than she did, but then again, Rin followed Sesshoumaru because she wanted to. Kagome was a vested interest and potential bartering tool.

Sighing, she sat the bowl down and looked over at the sleeping girl, her only real companion since she'd joined Sesshoumaru's traveling party. Partially propped against Ah-Un, she'd managed to doze off. She didn't look very comfortable, but Kagome didn't have the heart to disturb her. Instead, she quietly retrieved the girl's small coverlet and placed it over her to help keep away the evening chill. As if in agreement with her, the creature curled its large body around her, resting its head over its forelimbs. Kagome smiled tiredly. At least the dragon's concern for the girl was obvious. Sesshoumaru's on the other hand, she glanced over at him as he sat on the other side of the camp, was ambiguous at best.

"Well," she said with another soft sigh, "I'm going for my bath." She glanced over her shoulder and was unsurprised when the youkai rose to his feet. She resisted the urge to scowl knowing it would be of little benefit. He'd follow her anyway.

He always did.

It'd be the same old routine.

***

This was… different… very, VERY different. Bad too! Really, REALLY bad!!

Kagome bit her lip and nervously fumbled with her fingers beneath the water. _'Don't look.'_ her brain suggested helpfully. Kagome peeked through her lashes.

Yup, he was still there! She thought unhappily, though why she apparently expected him to suddenly disappear was beyond her. Wishful thinking she supposed.

It had been bad enough when he'd sit a little ways away with his back to her, but this was just… this was crazy!! And inappropriate! And WRONG!!!

She shuddered in spite of the warm water that surrounded her, recalling the moment it had all gone so terribly wrong. Just like the other times, she'd disrobed as quickly as possible and gotten into the pool. Having grown somewhat accustomed to his presence, it hadn't even cross her mind to turn back and look at him. He'd never shown any interest in watching her so she had assumed nothing would be different this time. So, it was quite surprising, not to mention unnerving when she'd made her way to the edge of the pool opposite of where he stood, turned around and settled herself against the edge and looked up to see him staring… well not at her, but at the water.

Instinctively, she'd shielded her breast and dunked herself deeper into the water. She was about to ask him what the heck he was doing, but the expression he wore gave her pause. He looked, if anything… thoughtful. Then, to her astonished horror, he removed his pelt. Her heart skipped an unhealthy number of beats, but she didn't dare look away. Her frozen brain didn't unthaw enough for her to speak until he began to undo the elaborate tie of his obi.

"Um… what…!"she'd trailed off, her eyes widening even as her brain frantically suggested that she shouldn't be witnessing this. "What are you doing??!!" she'd choked out, her voice abnormally shrill. Only then did he look at her, though the move was very subtle, a faint shifting of golden eyes.

"I need a bath." he'd stated simply.

"But… but I'm still in here!" she'd pointed out and was sure he could hear the panic in her voice."

"I can see that." he'd intoned blandly.

"So umm… don't you want to umm… wait until I'm finished!?"

"I could," he'd said, and she thought she'd detected a note of amusement in his voice, "But this way saves time."

'_Get out!' _her brain had screamed frantically_. 'Just get out and let him have the whole stupid spri-- OH GOD look at his chest!!!' _She'd squeaked at her own thoughts, turned her burning red face away from him and began nervously biting her finger nails. _'Just calm down Kagome!'_ she'd told herself sensibly, though the thought didn't calm her at all. _'If you get out of the pool, he'll see you, whereas if you stay in the water, he won't. Its dark enough right?'_ she'd looked down at the water's surface seeing only the reflection of the nearly full moon looking back at her. _'Yeah, he can't see anything, not that he hasn't already seen it all anyway.' _She'd decided to ignore that last part and thought, _'It'll be fine!! Just ignore him and stay in the water as long as possible! He'll eventually get out, get dressed, (something I won't see cause I'll be looking the other way) and then I can get out. Surely he'll give me the same privacy he always does.'_

Now, she was sure at least twenty minutes had passed and he was showing no signs of getting out of the water. She'd broken her own promise not to look some time ago, the shifting of the water being too great a lure not to peek. She'd spotted him just as the stripes on his hips disappeared beneath the steamy surface.

'_I never knew he had stripes there.' _she had thought almost idly, and then her blush had returned with a vengeance and she'd turned away again. For his part, Sesshoumaru hardly seemed aware of her presence. He'd selected a section of the pool a reasonable distance away from her, settled against one of the natural shelves and sank into the water. Even now, she noted as she stole another glance, he appeared to just be resting. He was leaning back against the edge, his arms spread out, resting on the pool's outcropping, his head leaning against a small rock. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and even as evident by the rise and fall of his chest; his masculine, sculpted chest that even now had streams of moisture running down it, the likely result of steam from the pool.

'_I should get out.' _

It was the perfect opportunity to do so. He wasn't paying her the slightest bit of attention, she noted, and was again hit with an odd twinge of disappointment. She brushed it aside immediately and turned a more solid stare onto him. Watching, almost willing him to move with her eyes, she finally decided that it was okay to get out. Her clothes were pretty close by so she should be able to at least get her kimono on before he woke up. If, she amended mentally, he was even asleep to begin with.

Whatever the case, it was time to make her move. Deciding to forego her cough test, she carefully made her way to the edge of the pool. Still facing his general direction, she leaned against the edge of the spring before lifting one arm from the water, and then the other. She placed her palms on the thin grass, her eyes still focused on him to see if he would move. She stayed that way for at least a minute before she finally began to pull herself up onto the bank. The air was cold against her shoulders and her chest, but promising herself that she'd be dressed soon, she continued to slowly lift herself from the water.

She'd hardly registered his movements until he was quite literally right on top of her. She screamed, shocked at his sudden proximity and fell back against the grass, her eyes as wide as saucers. She had just barely pulled her bottom from the spring so her legs were still in the water, but everything she wanted to hide was entirely exposed. He was leaning over her, a lean muscular arm on either side of her, trapping her in, pinning her down. She was too stunned to even try and shield herself. "Wha-what are you DOING?!"

"You were trying to escape." he stated simply, his eyes fixed on hers.

"N-no!!" she denied instantly, though in truth the idea had crossed her mind, suggesting with an added lure that he'd have to get dressed before he could come after her. "I wasn't… I wasn't trying to escape." she tried again when she saw that he'd made no attempt to let her up. They stayed that way for a moment or two, and even though she was exposed to him in her most vulnerable form, she found herself feeling less and less self conscious about it. It most likely had to do with the fact that his eyes remained fixed on her face the whole time. A stiff breeze washed over her and she felt the rise of goose-bumps on her skin. "I… I should get dressed." she said and fixed him with a meaningful look.

He blinked.

"It'd probably be a little easier if you… you know, let me up?" she tried again, opting this time to go for the more direct approach.

He blinked again.

Kagome made an unhappy noise in the back of her throat. Things were just going from bad to worse. She squirmed and for the first time, his eyes shifted. She swallowed dryly, the self consciousness that had been previously lacking returning full force. Biting the inside of her lip, she tried to shift her weight so that she could free a hand and cover herself. She wouldn't get the chance to do so as Sesshoumaru did something that completely took her by surprise. He touched her. His hand was large and warm as it settled against her now cooling skin. His palm rested gently over her ribs, just beneath her right breast.

'_Whoa!!' _she thought almost wildly, her heart beating a mile a minute, but out loud she said, "Umm…!"

Sesshoumaru took no note, opting instead to look at his hand as it lay against her. It seemed to hold an unusual level of interest for him, almost as if he had no idea why he had bothered to touch her and was staring at his hand in the no doubt fruitless hope that it would explain its actions to him. Either that or he was looking at her breast. She squirmed again.

"Umm… I think I should get dressed now!" she tried yet again, her voice shrill and urgent. She attempted to lift herself from where she lay, but the dangerous tips of his claws made their presence known and she immediately went still. He looked into her eyes again, the tips of his claws still pressing lightly into her skin. He didn't use enough pressure to harm, or even frighten her, but he seemed to be warning her without words that any further movements could have less than favorable consequences for her. She watched him warily, uncertain what to say.

Sesshoumaru turned his gaze back to his hand and the surprisingly soft skin that lay beneath it. The appendage looked so large against her small body, he mused with vague fascination. Then, without really knowing why, he flexed his hand, just a little and lightly dragged his claws down past her ribs, over the side of her belly and to the prominent bone that marked her hip. To his surprise, she made a sound that was not unlike a quavering moan and he turned his gaze to her face again. Her cheeks were heavily flushed, but now her eyes were tightly shut. Idly, he wondered what he could do to get her to open her eyes again, wondered what other kinds of reactions he could coax from her.

He shifted his weight so that he was leaning on his right elbow, moved his left hand from her hip and again cupped it against her ribs. Then, just for the sake of curiosity, he swept his thumb back and forth over her skin. He felt the jolt of her muscles and heard the small squeak that rose from her throat.

"Sesshoumaru?" she asked quietly, her voice quaking a little. He didn't answer and she gathered the courage to look at him again. Oddly, he didn't seem quite as imposing now. He was still close though, really, _really_ close. She could feel his body against hers. He had settled most of his weight to one side, but was still partially hovering over her. As she attempted to regulate her erratic breathing, she noted that his eyes were again focused on his hand, (or her breast. But probably his hand) and she could still feel the continuous sweep of his thumb as it brushed ever so lightly over her warming flesh. He didn't seem inclined to answer, but she pressed on anyway. "Why… why are you doing that?"

He looked back up at her and instead of answering her question he asked, "How does it feel?"

Kagome gasped lightly at the unexpected question. This entire situation was all so surreal and every few seconds or so she felt as if her heart would explode from overexertion. No one could remain in a prolonged state of…well, she really didn't know what it was. Confusion was definitely part of it, a sense of all around wrongness was floating around in there some where, and fear… yes, fear, there was an unhealthy dose of that too. Well, she amended mentally, maybe not fear, but… apprehension? Whatever it was, there was a lot of it!

His eyes locked with hers, and she remembered that he'd asked her a question. Bizarrely, he seemed not only curious, but genuinely interested in her response. "It…" she trailed off as she tried to come up with an honest answer, "It… makes me feel… a little weird." she grimaced inwardly at her words. She wasn't really sure what he wanted to hear, but that really was the best answer she could give.

"Hn," he murmured blandly, seemingly unaffected as he turned back to what he was doing.

A moment of silence passed between them before she asked, "Are you… are you going to stop?"

"No." he answered without hesitation. "I do not believe I will."

"Oh… um… why?" she wanted to know, her fingers twitching with the restless half formed desire to pry his hand from her body.

"It… intrigues me." he stated matter-of-factly.

Kagome didn't really know what to say to that.

Spreading his fingers to cover a larger area, Sesshoumaru slowly dragged the flat of his hand over her stomach, watching with interest as the muscles twitched beneath her skin. He did the same thing once more before he again used the tips of his claws to trail lightly over her ribs. From the corner of his eye, he saw the miko bite her lip, as if to keep herself silent. He was not really sure why he found her reactions so interesting, but each time he did something different, he could detect a mild sense of anticipation over how she would react to it. Feeling compelled to draw an even greater reaction from her, he lifted his hand again, this time leaving just the tips of his fingers to remain in contact with her skin. He watched her, curious to see what she would do as he trailed his fingers over a tightly budded nipple.

She gasped loudly, her small body jolting violently as she attempted to pull herself from beneath him. She was staring at him with wide eyes, her lips parted and her brow heavily creased. "You… you can't do that!" she informed him in what he could only describe as a yelled whisper.

His only response was a small, darkly amused smirk. Still holding her gaze, he cupped her breast fully, the hardened peak pressed against his palm as he squeezed gently. If possible, her eyes grew even larger before she quickly turned away, apparently unwilling to hold his gaze any longer.

'_Hn,' _he thought, his amusement only increasing at her attempts to block him out. Did she really think that she could ignore him? Pushing up onto both elbows, he covered her body fully with his own, placing one of is legs on either side of hers to more effectively cage her in. Her face was turned away from him, her eyes closed once more; her body unnaturally tense. He leaned in close to her, allowing the warmth of his breath to ghost over her skin. Pressing his lips to the center of her chest, he lazily dragged them to her left breast. He could hear the pounding of her heart when his lips closed over her nipple.

Oddly, he found that he enjoyed the taste of her skin. It was a little sweet, unbelievably soft, and entirely feminine. It captivated him in a way he had not anticipated. Wanting to taste more of her, he sucked a larger portion of her breast into his mouth, savoring the flavor as he swept his tongue against her skin.

A long, low moan was felt as much as heard as she writhed beneath him and he became absently aware of her blunt human fingernails digging into his shoulders. He couldn't tell if she was trying to keep him close or push him away, but the calls of his own body together with the change in her scent implored him to continue. And so he did.

He wasn't even sure it was natural to enjoy this so immensely, but he laved her body with the air of a man savoring an exquisite meal.

Kagome could hardly think anymore. A part of her brain was insisting, with more than a hint of urgency, that she should say something, try to get him to stop. But her body, her traitorous, traitorous body was quickly and recklessly succumbing to the new and exciting sensations he was causing her to feel. She couldn't decide whether or not she wanted to push him away, not that she likely could, so she instead settled for grasping his shoulders. Even though she could feel her nails digging into his skin, he didn't seem to mind and for some reason, that excited her even more. He was so unbelievably strong.

His warm, wet mouth finally detached from her breast but before she could even catch her breath, she felt his lips pressing a trail of searing kisses down her belly. Lower, lower, and… she gasped, her muscles jolting when he kissed his way over her belly button and continued lower still.

"Sess--!" she moaned urgently, her hand grasping his wrist as he splayed his larger appendage over her belly to keep her still. _'He wouldn't…!!_'she thought frantically, though his current proximity to her nether regions and the fact that he was now wedging his shoulders between her thighs seemed to suggest otherwise. Not sure she was willing to let him do something so… intimate, something from which there would be no turning back; she squirmed and tried to escape his hold. The low growl that emanated from him was enough to falter her resolve and she froze, a streak of fear and something else shooting down her spine.

She felt his fingers first and tensed in anticipation of what he would do next. Now acutely aware of everything around her from the soft stirring of wind in the nearby trees, to the twinkling stars above, Kagome shivered in a mixture of arousal and apprehension. She shuddered when she felt the pad of his thumb rubbing against her most sensitive of places, and caution was all but cast to the wind. Her eyes glazed over as he picked up a steady rhythm, the sensation he invoked drawing soft moans from her throat. Then, with little in the way of warning, his lips replaced his fingers, his warm tongue dipping into her and causing her to arch off the grass as she surrendered to a deep groan.

It seemed that her reaction only excited him because he then pushed her legs further apart, pressed her back down into the grass and delved even deeper, this time accompanying the movement with a low growl that she felt more than heard. Shuddering and attempting to bite back the cries of pleasure that tried to escape, Kagome fisted her hands in the grass beneath her, pulling it up by the handful before finding a fresh patch and starting over again.

This was bad, so bad, but it felt better than anything she could describe, better than anything she could have imagined. She didn't dare look down at him, opting instead to shut her eyes and feel; feel each drag of his warm tongue as it lapped against her, dipped inside; feel the vibrating growls that usually signaled danger but now only added to her pleasure; feel the desire within her own body that was threatening to explode at any moment.

Suddenly, he pulled away and Kagome almost screamed in protest before his lips crashed against hers in a commanding, all consuming kiss. She could feel his fingers threading through her hair, his remaining hand pulling her down, closer to him. His knees were between her thighs now, spreading them further apart even as he continued to battle her tongue into submission with his own. His hips lowered and a faint twinge of panic shot through her when she felt the tip of his arousal brush against her flesh. She knew what was coming next, but was given no time to think it over when he suddenly pushed forward. She tried to pull away from his lips, but he held her in place as the fleshy head of his manhood broke the barrier of her innocence. The second thrust was a bit less forceful, though it felt like a hot knife had torn through her flesh and she managed to pull away from his lips.

"Ah!!!" she protested loudly, her fingers again digging into his shoulders. Sucking in a deep breath through her teeth, she braced herself for the third, noting with a level of relief that this one wasn't quite as bad.

He continued to push forward, slower now until he was fully sheathed inside her. Finally he stilled, resting his forehead against her cheek and allowing them both a moment to catch their breath. It seemed, that he'd lost control there for a moment and was now attempting to bring himself to order. Kagome appreciated the reprieve, though the sensation of near painful fullness caused her to tremble with restless energy. She tried to still her quaking muscles but was unable to do so as she could feel him throbbing deep inside of her. It was a strange, and oddly thrilling sensation. Finally, he began to move, stealing her breath away as he did. He pulled out ever so slowly, and she could feel the entire length slide out, save for the tip before he slammed back in again. She cried out, this time a mixture of pleasure and pain, her back arching in reflex as she tried to regain her breath.

Her opportunity would be limited as he again surrendered to his desire, picking up a steady rhythm of swift, forceful strokes.

Sesshoumaru latched onto her neck, his rapid pace never ceasing. Though he had not planned this when he'd followed her to the spring, he could not say that he regretted it. Human though she was, the little miko managed to awaken a near primal desire in him, something he'd never felt before. Something about her reticence, her initial efforts to pull away from him, had called to the wildness inside him, the part still bound to the calls of instinct, and if only just this once, he would answer this call.

Helpless to bite back the rapturous cries he forced from her, Kagome could do little more then let him have his way. After all, he seemed determined to do nothing less.

Suddenly, his already maddening pace became more urgent and he looped an arm beneath her, holding her firmly in place as he slammed against her over and over again. Kagome wrapped her arms around him, her nails biting into his skin as his name panted from her lips.

She heard him growl against her throat, the vibrations driving her deeper into the abysmal depths of ecstasy. She tangled her hands in his hair, and for the first time since they'd crossed the line of intimacy, he looked directly into her eyes. His face was heavily flushed, a few beads of sweat gathered over his brow. Even his eyes, which had always been so cold and unfeeling, were glazed over in passion.

He claimed her lips again and a bolt of electricity shot down Kagome's spine. It was as if all of her senses were magnified one-hundred fold. She fisted her hands in his hair, holding on for dear life, begging with the language of her body for him not to stop, not to let go. He didn't, and before long it became too much. Finally tearing away from his lips, Kagome cried out, tried to pull away as something exploded inside her, pushed her over the edge, washed her away in wave after wave of quivering ecstasy.

Sesshoumaru watched her succumb to the irrepressible throes of rapture, his own body reacting to hers as she quaked and shivered and screamed out his name. Within seconds, he too was cast into darkness, the fathomless depths of euphoria drawing him out, wrapping around him, devouring him whole.

***

Sesshoumaru sighed quietly. It occurred to him, that in all reality, he had made a tactical error. He seemed to be making a lot of these as of late, but it seemed there was nothing for it. He would simply have to be more careful in the future.

In bedding the miko, all of his carefully crafted plans essentially fell apart. He was still unsure of what role she would play in his life, but what he knew for certain, was that she would stay with him indefinitely. He was no longer willing to return her to Inuyasha, not even for the Tetsuaiga.

He had lost his bartering tool.

His eyes shifted and he saw her, just on the edge of his vision. She was staring up at him, a light blush coloring her cheeks, her lips curved in a small smile.

But, sometimes… just sometimes…

"Look Kagome-sama!!! I hit it that time! I hit the target!"

Sometimes what was gained…

"Wow!! That was a great shot Rin!"

Far outweighed what was lost.

~Owari~

* * *

Yes, yes, yes… I know, I know. I left the ending completely open on this one, but I like to do that sometimes. I think it's a nice touch for these short stories. =D

Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed! I had a heck of a time writing this last chapter! It nearly killed me! Well, not really, but it did give me a hard time for some reason. Oh well, I eagerly await to hear what you guys thought! XD


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